Antitheft device

ABSTRACT

An antitheft system can be provided by constructing such that, when a stop signal has been inputted from an engine  7 , a main controller  2  outputs, until a first predetermined time Ts elapses, a turn-on signal to switches  8, 9  to perform a similar antitheft processing as in an operation of the engine  7  and after an elapse of the first predetermined time Ts, instructs the switch  9  to repeat a turn-on and turn-off at predetermined time intervals Δt, and, whenever the switch  9  is brought into a turned-on position, detects a position at that time by a position detecting controller  3  and compares the position with a position at the time of an engine stop to determine whether or not a theft has taken place. Owing to this construction, it is no longer necessary to always feed power to the position detecting controller  3  during the stop of the engine  7 , thereby making it possible to cut down the feeding of as much power to the controller  3  as a time elapsed during which the switch  9  is kept off. The antitheft system can, therefore, minimize the power consumption of a control system during the engine stop.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to an antitheft system, which is arranged on aself-propelling movable object including a construction machine such asa hydraulic excavator and makes it possible to ascertain the position ofthe movable object on the side of a control server located at a placeremote from the movable object.

BACKGROUND ART

As an antitheft system of this type, there is disclosed, for example, inJP 2000-73411 A a technology that detects, for example, by a globalpositioning system, i.e., GPS the position of a hydraulic excavator as aself-propelling movable object under control, transmits by wirelesscommunication the thus-detected position of the hydraulic excavator to acontrol server located at a remote place, and ascertains by the controlserver whether or not the position of the hydraulic excavator is withina predetermined normal work area.

According to this conventional technology, when the position of thehydraulic excavator as detected by GPS has been determined to departfrom the normal work area, an engine stop signal is transmitted from thecontrol server to a control system mounted on the hydraulic excavator tostop an operation of the hydraulic excavator.

As described above, the conventional technology makes it possible topromptly infer the theft of the hydraulic excavator and to disable worksuch as digging or running by the hydraulic excavator and, because thehydraulic excavator becomes no longer possible of self-propelling, alsomakes it difficult to load the hydraulic excavator on a vehicle forcarrying it away, for example, a trailer. Accordingly, the conventionaltechnology can scare away a potential thief and practically, can make itdifficult to steal, thereby serving as an effective technology for theprevention of a theft.

Among self-propelling movable objects, construction machines such ashydraulic excavators, in particular, are often stolen at night afterfinishing work. While being transported on a trailer or the like, theengine of the hydraulic excavator is in a stopped state. There is,accordingly, a need for the development of a countermeasure for a theftwhile the engine is stopped. In the above-described conventionaltechnology, no reference is specifically made as to the time duringwhich the engine is stopped. When constructed, for example, tocontinuously feed power to a control system, which performs positionaldetections and transmissions/receptions to/from a control server, alwaysincluding the time during which the engine is stopped, the voltage of apower supply, i.e., a battery mounted on the hydraulic excavator,however, drops (undergoes a battery drainage) in a short time so thatfrequent recharging is required. When constructed, as in theconventional technology, to transmit the position information on thehydraulic excavator to the side of the control server and to determineon the side of the control server whether or not the hydraulic excavatorhas departed from a normal work area, on the other hand, the number ofcommunications between the hydraulic excavator and the control serverbecomes great, resulting in a substantial communication cost. Therefore,a problem also remains unsolved in this respect.

The present invention has been completed in view of the above-describedproblems of the conventional technology. A first object of the presentinvention is, therefore, to provide an antitheft system which canascertain the position of a movable object even during stopping of anengine while reducing the consumption of power by a control systemduring the stopping of the engine and avoiding a battery drainage.Further, a second object of the present invention is to provide anantitheft system which can keep the communication cost low by minimizingthe number of communications with a control server.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

To achieve the first object, the present invention is characterized inthat in an antitheft system provided with a control system arranged on aself-propelling movable object with an engine mounted thereon as a drivesource and having a position detecting means for detecting a position ofthe movable object, a transmission/reception means for performing atransmission/reception to/from an outside and a processing means forperforming predetermined processing operations including outputs of runcommands to the position detecting means and the transmission/receptionmeans and a control server arranged at a place different from themovable object for controlling information on the movable object, saidinformation comprising position information detected by the positiondetecting means and transmitted via the transmission/reception means,the antitheft system comprises a clocking means, a first power feedingmeans for performing feeding of power to at least the position detectingmeans, and a second power feeding means for performing feeding of powerto at least the clocking means, and the processing means receivessignals from the clocking means, allows the first power feeding means tocontinuously feed power until a first predetermined time elapses from atime point at which a stop signal for the engine is inputted, and afteran elapse of the first predetermined time, repeatedly outputs aninstruction signal, which permits feeding of power, at predeterminedtime intervals to the first power feeding means.

By constructing as described above, the current position of the movableobject can be detected by the position detecting means in a similarmanner as in the time of an operation of the engine until the firstpredetermined time elapses from a time point at which the engine isstopped. After the elapse of the first predetermined time, the feedingof power by the first power feeding means is stopped so that the feedingof power to the position detecting means is stopped. To the clockingmeans, however, power is continuously fed from the second power feedingmeans. Based on signals from the clocking means, power is fed at thepredetermined time intervals from the first power feeding means to theposition detecting means so that a positional detection is performedintermittently. Namely, power is intermittently fed from the first powerfeeding means to the position detecting means after the elapse of thefirst predetermined time. The consumption of power at the positiondetecting means can, therefore, be cut down as much as the stopping ofpower feeding.

It is, therefore, possible to prolong the time until the battery mountedon the movable object comes into the state of a battery drainage.

On the other hand, the invention described in claim 5 to achieve thesecond object is characterized in that the control system is providedwith a storage means for storing the position information on the movableobject as detected by the position detecting means, and the processingmeans compares position information, which has been detected subsequentto the input of the stop signal for the engine, with the positioninformation stored in the storage means and, when a distance differenceof at least a predetermined value is confirmed, determines that themovable object has been stolen, and instructs the transmission/receptionmeans to transmit a theft signal together with the position informationto the control server.

By constructing as described above, whether or not the movable objecthas been moved, in other words, stolen can be determined despite thestopping of the engine by the control system mounted on the movableobject. Because a report is made to the side of the control server viathe transmission/reception means only when a theft has been determined,the number of communications with the control server can be reduced sothat the communication cost can be kept low.

As described above in detail, the present invention can detect thecurrent position of the movable object by the position detecting meansin a similar manner as in the time of an operation of the engine untilthe first predetermined time elapses from a time point at which theengine is stopped, and after the elapse of the first predetermined time,can feed power at the predetermined time intervals from the first powerfeeding means to the position detecting means so that a positionaldetection can be performed intermittently. Namely, power isintermittently fed from the first power feeding means to the positiondetecting means after the elapse of the first predetermined time. Theconsumption of power at the position detecting means can, therefore, becut down as much as the stopping of power feeding. Accordingly, it ispossible to prolong the time until the battery mounted on the movableobject comes into the state of a battery drainage.

Further, whether or not the movable object has been stolen can bedetermined by the control system mounted on the movable object and, onlywhen a theft has been determined, a report is made to the side of thecontrol server via the transmission/reception means. Accordingly, thenumber of communications with the control server can be reduced so thatthe communication cost can be kept low.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an overall construction diagram of an antitheft systemaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a main controller shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a position detecting control unit shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a body information control unit shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the details of processing operationsuntil a first predetermined time elapses since the input of an enginestop signal.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the details of processing operationsafter the first predetermined time has elapsed subsequent to the inputof the engine stop signal.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing processing when an information demandsignal has been inputted from a control server.

FIG. 8 is a time chart after the engine stop signal has been inputted.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a modification of the processing inthe first embodiment as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a time chart illustrating a modification of the time chartfor the first embodiment as shown in FIG. 8.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Based on the drawings, a description will hereinafter be made about theembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 through FIG. 8 are drawings for describing the first embodimentof the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is an overall constructiondiagram of an antitheft system according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a main controllerconstructing the antitheft system shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a blockdiagram of a position detecting control unit, FIG. 4 is a block diagramof a body information control unit, FIG. 5 is a flow chart of processingoperations until a first predetermined time Ts elapses since the inputof an engine stop signal, FIG. 6 is a flow chart of processingoperations after Ts has elapsed subsequent to the stopping of theengine, FIG. 7 is a flowchart of processing when an information demandsignal has been inputted from a control server, and FIG. 8 is a timechart after the engine stop signal has been inputted.

As shown in FIG. 1, the antitheft system according to this embodiment isprovided with a control system 1 to be mounted on a self-propellingmovable object, for example, a hydraulic excavator with an engine 7mounted as a drive source thereon and also with a control server 10 forperforming transmissions/receptions of information with the controlsystem 1, which is located at a remote plate, via a wirelesscommunication means 11 such as satellite communication or telephone linecommunication and also for managing a control of information on thehydraulic excavator.

The control system 1 is provided with a position detecting control unit3 for detecting the position of the hydraulic excavator by GPS, a bodyinformation control unit 5 for fetching signals from various sensorsarranged on the hydraulic excavator and detecting and storing variousinformation on operations of the hydraulic excavator, atransmission/reception control unit 4 for performingtransmissions/receptions of information with the control server 10, anda main controller 2 for controlling the respective control units 3, 4, 5systematically and performing predetermined processing operations.

To the respective control units 3, 4, 5 and the main controller 2, poweris fed by a battery 6 mounted on the hydraulic excavator. In thisembodiment, the position detecting control unit 3 and body informationcontrol unit 5 are connected to the battery 6 via a switch 9 as a firstpower feeding means, while the main controller 2 andtransmission/reception control unit 4 are connected to the battery 6 viaa switch 8 as a second power feeding means.

To the control server 10, on the other hand, terminal equipment 12 a, 12b, 12 c are connected via a network to permit an access by the owner,maker, service mechanic or the like of the hydraulic excavator to thecontrol server 10 for the confirmation of an operation state of thehydraulic excavator.

The main controller 2 is provided, as shown in FIG. 2, with a controlunit 2 a comprising a CPU to control the above-mentioned, respectivecontrol units 3, 4, 5, switch 8 and switch 9 systematically and toperform predetermined processing operations, a storage unit 2 b forstoring processing results temporarily in the course of processingoperations and also storing various parameters and the like, and a clockunit 2 c as a clocking means. In addition, signals relating to anoperation or stop of the engine 7 are also inputted.

The position detecting control unit 3 is provided, as shown in FIG. 3, aposition detecting control unit 3 c for capturing signals fromunillustrated GPS satellites and calculating the position of thehydraulic excavator, a storage unit 3 b for storing the thus-detectedposition information and a preset operable area for the hydraulicexcavator, and a control unit 3 a for performingtransmissions/receptions of signals with the main controller 2, readingresults of a detection by the position detecting unit 3 c, andperforming processing to store the results of the detection in thestorage unit 3 b.

The body information control unit 5 is provided, as shown in FIG. 4,with a control unit 5 a for performing transmissions/receptions ofsignals with the main controller 2 and fetching information from theunillustrated various sensors mounted on the hydraulic excavator, and astorage unit 5 b for storing the information fetched from the sensors.

In the antitheft system according to this embodiment constructed asdescribed above, while the engine 7 is in operation, the switch 8 andswitch 9 always maintain their turned-on positions so that power is fedto the respective control units 3, 4, 5 and the main controller 2.

In this state, the position detecting unit 3 c which constructs theposition detecting control unit 3, no matter whether or not there is aninstruction signal from the control unit 3 a, calculates the currentposition of the hydraulic excavator from signals from the GPS satellitesupon capturing the signals, and outputs the results to the control unit3 a. The control unit 3 a compares the inputted current position withthe operable area stored in the storage unit 3 b and, when the currentposition departs from the operable area, outputs information on thecurrent position and a theft signal to the main controller 2.

When an instruction signal has been inputted form the main controller 2,position information calculated based on processing at the control unit3 a is stored in the storage unit 3 b. This instruction signal from themain controller 2 is designed such that it is inputted at preset timeintervals, for example, every hour. It is, however, also possible tostore such position information whenever calculated, without relyingupon instructions from the main controller 2.

The body information control unit 5 progressively stores signals, whichare fed in predetermined sampling cycles from the various sensors, intime sequence in the storage unit 5 b via the control unit 5 a. On theother hand, when the coolant temperature of the engine 7 has becomeabnormally high and an abnormality signal serious for the operation ofthe hydraulic excavator such as falling of the rotational speed of theengine 7 below a predetermined lowest rotational speed has been inputtedby so-called interrupting processing, the abnormality signal isimmediately outputted to the main controller 2.

When the theft signal has been inputted from the position detectingcontrol unit 3 or the abnormality signal has been inputted from the bodyinformation control unit 5, the main controller 2 outputs an instructionsignal to the transmission/reception control unit 4 to transmit thesignal to the control server 10.

When the transmission/reception control unit 4 has received adata-demanding signal from the control server 10 or when a predeterminedtime has been reached, the main controller 2 instructs to send theposition information and body information, which are stored in theposition detecting control unit 3 and body information control unit 5,respectively, to the main controller 2, inputs these information, andoutputs an instruction signal to the transmission/reception control unit4 such that they are transmitted to the control server 10.

When the instruction signal is inputted from the main controller 2, thetransmission/reception control unit 4 transmits the positioninformation, theft signal, body information, abnormality information orthe like to the control server 10 via the communication means 11.

A description has been made about the processing by the respectivecontrol units 3, 4, 5 and the main controller 2 when the engine 7 is inoperation. With reference to FIG. 5 through FIG. 8, a description willnext be made about processing after a stop signal has been inputted intothe main controller 2 from the engine 7.

When the stop signal of the engine 7 has been inputted as illustrated inFIG. 5, the main controller 2 reads in the first Step S1 the latestposition information stored in the storage unit 3 b of the positiondetection control unit 3, and in the next Step S2, stores the thus-readposition information (X0, Y0) in the storage unit 2 b of the maincontroller 2.

The time T0 at which the stop signal of the engine 7 was inputted isread from the clock unit 2 c in the next Step S3, and is stored in thestorage unit 2 b in Step S4.

In Step S5, a current time T1 is read from the clock unit 2 b, and inthe next Step S6, a determination is made as to whether or not apredetermined time Ts, for example, 3 hours or so have elapsed from theinput of the stop signal of the engine 7. If not determined to haveelapsed, the routine moves to Step S7.

In Step S7, current position information (X1, Y1) is read from theposition detecting control unit 3, and in the next Step S8, the distanceΔL from the position (X0, Y0) at the time point of the input of the stopsignal of the engine 7 is calculated. It is then determined in the nextStep S9 whether or not the thus-calculated distance ΔL is greater than apredetermined distance Ls. When the distance ΔL is determined to besmaller than the predetermined distance Ls in Step S9, the hydraulicexcavator is not determined to have been stolen, the routine returns toStep S5 and the processing operations of Steps S5 to S9 are repeated.

When the thus-calculated distance ΔL is determined to be equal to orgreater than the predetermined distance Ls in Step S9, the routine movesto Step S10. After an instruction signal is outputted to thetransmission/reception control unit 4 such that a theft signal and theposition information (X1, Y1) at that time are transmitted to thecontrol server 10, the routine returns to Step S7 and the processingoperations of Step S7 to Step S10 are repeatedly performed.

When the predetermined time Ts is determined to have elapsed after theinput of the stop signal of the engine 7 in Step S6, the routine movesto Step S11, and the body information stored in the storage unit 5 b ofthe body information control unit 5 is read and is once stored in thestorage unit 2 b. In Step S12, an instruction signal is outputted to thetransmission/reception control unit 4 such that the stored bodyinformation, current time T1 and position information (X1, Y1) aretransmitted to the control server 10. In the next Step S13, a turn-offsignal is outputted to the switch 9 so that the feeding of power to theposition detecting control unit 3 and body information control unit 5 iscut off.

As described above, the switch 9 retains its turned-on position untilthe predetermined time Ts elapses after the input of the stop signalfrom the engine 7. During this period, it is possible to ascertainwhether or not the hydraulic excavator has been stolen in a similarmanner as in the time of an operation of the engine. When determined tohave been stolen, a report can be immediately made to the control server10 located at the remote place.

With reference to FIG. 6, a description will next be made about thedetails of processing after the predetermined time Ts has elapsed afterthe input of the stop signal of the engine 7.

As described above, the switch retains its turned-on position even afterthe predetermined time Ts has elapsed subsequent to the input of thestop signal from the engine 7. Power is, therefore, still continuouslyfed from the battery 6 to the main controller 2 andtransmission/reception control unit 4. In the first Step S20 after thepredetermined time Ts has elapsed, a variable N for counting is set at0, and in the next Step S21, the current time T2 is read from the clockunit 2 c.

In the next Step S22, a determination is made as to whether or not apredetermined time interval ΔT has elapsed from the time of thepreceding processing. When ΔT is not determined to have elapsed, theroutine returns to Step S21. When ΔT is determined to have elapsed, onthe other hand, the routine advances to the next Step S23.

In Step S23, an instruction signal is outputted to turn on the switchwhich has been in the turned-off position. As a result, power is fed tothe position detecting control unit 3, and at the position detectingcontrol unit 3, the position is detected and the current positioninformation (X1, Y1) is outputted to the main controller 2.

In Step S24, the thus-outputted current position information (X1, Y1) isread, and in the next Step S25, the distance ΔL from the position (X0,Y0) at which the stop signal of the engine 7 was inputted is calculated.In Step S26, a determination is made as to whether or not thethus-calculated distance ΔL is greater than the predetermined distanceLs. When determined to be smaller, the routine moves to Step S27.

In Step S27, 1 is added to the variable N, and in the next Step S28, asignal is outputted to turn off the switch 9. As a result, the feedingof power to the position detecting control unit 3 is cut off.

In the next Step S29, a determination is made as to whether or not theprocessing operations from Steps S21 to S27 have reached a predeterminednumber of times N0. When N0 has not been reached yet, the routine isreturned to Step S21.

When the distance ΔL calculated in Step S25 is determined to be greaterthan the predetermined distance Ls in Step S26, the routine moves toStep S32, and an instruction signal is outputted to thetransmission/reception control unit 4 such that a theft signal and theposition information (X1, Y1) at that time are transmitted to thecontrol server 10. When this instruction signal is inputted, thetransmission/reception control unit 4 transmits the current positioninformation (X1, Y1) together with the theft signal to the controlserver 10.

When the number of processing operations, N, is determined to havereached N0 in Step S29, on the other hand, the routine moves to StepS30, and an instruction signal is outputted to thetransmission/reception control unit 4 such that a signal to the effectthat the transmission/reception processing is to end is transmittedtogether with the current position information (X1, Y1) to the controlserver 10. When this indication signal is inputted, thetransmission/reception control unit transmits a signal, which informsthe control server 10 to the effect that the transmission/receptionprocessing has ended, together with the current position information(X1, Y1) to the control server 10.

In the next Step S31, a turn-off signal is outputted to the switch S8.As a result, the feeding of power to the main controller 2 andtransmission/reception control unit 4 is cut off so that at the controlsystem 1, processing operations and transmissions/receptions with theoutside are disabled.

With reference to FIG. 7, a description will be made about processingoperations when the transmission/reception control unit 4 has received adata-demanding signal from the control server 10 at a stage precedingthe output of the cut-off signal to the switch 8. As illustrated in FIG.7, a turn-on signal is outputted to the switch 9 in Step S41 when thedemand signal is inputted from the control server 10.

When the switch 9 is brought into the turned-on position and power isfed to the position detecting control unit 3 and body informationcontrol unit 5, the detection of a position at that time point isperformed at the position detecting control unit 3.

In the next Step S42, the current position information is read from theposition detecting control unit 3, and further, body information is readfrom the body information control unit 5 and the current time is alsoread from the clock unit 2 c. In the next Step S43, an instructionsignal is outputted to the transmission/reception control unit 4 suchthat they are transmitted to the control server 10. When thisinstruction signal is inputted, the transmission/reception control unit4 transmits the position information and body information together withthe current time to the control server 10.

FIG. 8 is a time chart which shows in time sequence the processingoperations in FIG. 5 to FIG. 7. As also shown in FIG. 8, in thisembodiment, the switch 9 and switch 8 continuously retain theirturned-on positions until the first predetermined time Ts elapsessubsequent to the input of a stop signal (key off) of the engine 7 ((b),(c)), and after an elapse of Ts, the position information and bodyinformation on the hydraulic excavator are transmitted to the controlserver ((e), (f), (g)), and the switch 9 is turned off ((b)). Afterthat, the turn-on and turn-off of the switch 9 are repeated at thepredetermined time intervals Δt ((b)) and, whenever the switch 9 isbrought into its turned-on position, the detection of a position at thattime point is performed ((e)). When the predetermined time intervals Δtreach a predetermined number of times NO (4 times in FIG. 8), theposition information and a signal that indicates the end of thetransmission/reception processing are fed to the control server 10((g)), and the switch 8 and switch 9 are brought into their cut-offpositions ((b), (c)).

In this embodiment, power is, therefore, intermittently transmitted fromthe battery 6 to the position detecting control unit 3 and bodyinformation control unit 5 via the switch 9 after the firstpredetermined time Ts has elapsed subsequent to a stop of the engine 7.It is, accordingly, possible to cut down the consumption of as muchpower at the position detecting control unit 3 and body informationcontrol unit 5 as the stop of the feeding of power. As a consequence, itis possible to prolong the time until the battery mounted on thehydraulic excavator comes into the state of a battery drainage.

With the control system 1 mounted on the hydraulic excavator, it is alsopossible to determine despite the stopping of the engine 7 whether ornot the hydraulic excavator has been moved, in other words, stolen.Because a report is made to the side of the control server 10 via thetransmission/reception control unit 4 only when the hydraulic excavatoris determined to have been stolen, the number of communications with thecontrol server 10 can be reduced so that the communication cost can bekept low.

The above-described first embodiment is designed such that, after thepredetermined time Ts has elapsed subsequent to the input of the stopsignal of the engine 7, the switch 9 is intermittently turned on and offonly the predetermined number of times NO at predetermined timeintervals Δt and a positional detection is performed every time theswitch 9 is turned on. Instead of the predetermined number of times No,however, it is also possible to intermittently turn on and off theswitch 9 at predetermined time intervals At until a second predeterminedtime Ts' elapses subsequent to the input of the stop signal of theengine 7. This processing is shown in FIG. 9.

The flow chart shown in FIG. 9 is equal to the processing shown in FIG.6 except for Step S57. In Step S57, a determination is made as towhether or not the second predetermined time Ts' has elapsed after theinput of the stop signal from the engine 7. When not determined to haveelapsed, the routine returns to the first Step S50 and Step S50 to StepS57 are performed again. When the predetermined time Ts' is determinedto have elapsed in Step S57, on the other hand, an instruction signal isoutputted such that position information (X1, Y2) and a signal to theeffect that the transmission/reception processing is to end aretransmitted to the control server 10, and a turn-off signal is outputtedto the switch 8 (Step S58 and Step S59) By the processing shown in FIG.9, it is, therefore, also possible to bring about similar advantageouseffects as the first embodiment.

In the above-described first embodiment, it is constructed that the maincontroller 2 is provided with the clock unit 2 c and power is fed fromthe battery 6 to the main controller 2 and clock unit 2 c via the switch8. As an alternative, it is also possible to arrange a clocking meansindependently of the main controller 2 and to feed power to the clockingmeans, for example, by a lithium battery different from the batterymounted on the hydraulic excavator. In this case, it is also possible,as illustrated in FIG. 10(h), to provide the clocking means with a timerfunction such that an ON signal is outputted at predetermined timeintervals Δt and based on the ON signal, a turn-on signal is outputtedto the switch 9. It is also possible to connect the battery 6 to themain controller 2, position detecting controller unit 3,transmission/reception control unit 4 and body information control unit5 via the switch 8 alone and to intermittently feed power to the maincontroller 2 and the respective controller units 3, 4, 5 in accordancewith timer signals from the clocking means. In this case, the lithiumbattery serves as a second power feeding means.

1-4. (canceled)
 5. An antitheft system according to claim 10, whereinsaid control system is provided with a storage means for storing saidposition information on said movable object as detected by said positiondetecting means; and said processing means compares positioninformation, which has been detected subsequent to said input of saidstop signal for said engine, with said position information stored insaid storage means and, when a distance difference of at least apredetermined value is confirmed, determines that said movable objecthas been stolen, and instructs said transmission/reception means totransmit a theft signal together with said position information to saidcontrol server.
 6. An antitheft system according to claim 12, wherein,when said movable object is determined to have been stolen, saidprocessing means outputs an instruction signal, which permits continuousfeeding of power, to said first power feeding means. 7-8. (canceled) 9.An antitheft system according to claim 13, wherein, when said movableobject is determined to have been stolen, said processing means outputsa instruction signal, which permits continuous feeding of power, to saidfirst power feeding means.
 10. An antitheft system provided with: acontrol system arranged on a self-propelling movable object with anengine mounted thereon as a drive source and having a position detectingmeans for detecting a position of said movable object, atransmission/reception means for performing a transmission/receptionto/from an outside and a processing means for performing predeterminedprocessing operations including outputs of run commands to said positiondetecting means and said transmission/reception means, and a controlserver arranged at a place different from said movable object forcontrolling information on said movable object, said informationcomprising position information detected by said position detectingmeans and transmitted via said transmission/reception means,characterized in that said antitheft system comprises: a clocking means,a first power feeding means for performing feeding of power to at leastsaid position detecting means, and a second power feeding means forperforming feeding of power to at least said clocking means; and saidprocessing means receives signals from said clocking means, allows saidfirst power feeding means to continuously feed power until a firstpredetermined time elapses from a time point at which a stop signal forsaid engine is inputted, and after an elapse of said first predeterminedtime, repeatedly outputs an instruction signal, which permits feeding ofpower, at predetermined time intervals to said first power feedingmeans.
 11. An antitheft system according to claim 10, wherein saidprocessing means reads said position information on said movable objectas detected by said position detecting means whenever said instructionsignal, which permits said feeding of power, is outputted at saidpredetermined time intervals to said first power feeding means, andafter completion of said reading of said position information, instructssaid first power feeding means to stop feeding of power.
 12. Anantitheft system according to claim 11, wherein, when said commandsignal which permits feeding of power has been outputted a predeterminednumber of times at said predetermined time intervals to said first powerfeeding means, said processing means instructs saidtransmission/reception means to transmit said position information onsaid movable object, which was detected lastly by said positiondetecting means, and a signal, which communicates that atransmission/reception to/from said outside via saidtransmission/reception means is disabled, to said control server.
 13. Anantitheft system according to claim 11, wherein, when a secondpredetermined time has elapsed subsequent to an elapse of said firstpredetermined time, said processing means instructs saidtransmission/reception means to transmit said position information onsaid movable object, which was detected lastly by said positiondetecting means, and a signal, which communicates that atransmission/reception to/from said outside via saidtransmission/reception means is disabled, to said control server.
 14. Anantitheft system according to claim 5, wherein said second power feedingmeans is connected to perform feeding of power to saidtransmission/reception means; and, when said instruction signal has beeninputted from said control server via said transmission/reception meansbefore a transmission/reception to/from said outside via saidtransmission/reception means is disabled, said processing meansinstructs said transmission/reception means to transmit at least saidposition information, which has been stored in said storage means, to aside of said control server.
 15. An antitheft system according to claim14, wherein, when a signal communicating that a transmission/receptionis disabled has been transmitted to said control server via saidtransmission/reception means, said processing means instructs saidsecond power feeding means to stop feeding of power.